After reading "listing" i feel like a genius. Mainly because im not an idiot. Which is exactly what those college students have to be. But further more im dissappointed that the author blame it on the education system. The reason the common person/student doesnt understand those references isn't because our education system is failing and that its been dumbed down for them to understand, its because the common man has never had that kind of a literacy ever. It is iggnorant on the authors part to expect the common student to understand that when and editorial mentions that the president looked like he was wearing the emperors new cloths. Very few individuals have heard of the story non the less read it. And the disney version"the emperors new groove" doesnt count!!! common man has never been one to reference for literary works and stories. Complex similies and metaphores have never been a populartrend in commonman communication. If its in the wallstreet or usa today or newyork times it isnt for the common person. if it is in those than the reader is expected to have a broad backround of knowledge to inperpret and enjoy the writings. This is stereo typing, but its similar to stereotyping that catholics go to mass regularly. Generally lower income blue collar workers and there children dont have near as broad of a backround and are not as intellectual as middle and upper class citizens. Upper and lower class always have completly different viewpoints on everything so it idiodic to think that they can relate to eachother all the the time on a subject so different in their cultures. upperclass has private school with adequit well run extra curiculars and lowerclass has public school with after school programs with less than efficient employees and programs. Its just the way it is. i could ellaborate more but i would write a novel.
Now to address he slacker comment made by one of the students in the article. He is an ignoraimous. "why can't you people just talk like the rest of us" he says. well they could, but then nothing they descibed would live up to what hey knew it was. fireworks wouldnt be random explosions of radiant color over the ocean of onlookers anymore, they would be cool loud with colors over a bunch of people. See the difference???? i sure do. Words and vocabulary give experiences and memories so much more. Some would ask, how did this guy even get into college, well folks, its a lot easer than you think to sleep through highschool and get into college. And its true when the author says he doesnt want to learn what she has to offer, he doesnt, and part of the reason is because he didnt get pushed early on and he wasnt exposed to that type of literacy when he should have been, but most of it is because he doesnt care. And why doesnt he care you ask. well, to tell you the truth, its because learning just isnt alwasy the most important things on a college age mans plate. Hes got a lot to think about and he doesnt want to hassle with having to work to nderstand what his teacher is trying to get across to him. He just wants to understand and be done with it. So when he doesnt, this is where his frusttration comes from. He doesnt want to explore into the realm of unfamiliarity. he want s to stay in his comfort zone where he has control.
And the argument that the education system is to blame is false. The edu. system is always picked on because every joe shmoe thinks they can fix the worlds problems by going to what they see as the root, the publics education system. Wel the fact is its just not that easy. There are to many factors to calculate to fix anything that might be inhibiting society. Generally the school systems in this country should just be left alone. its up to the parents to teach what they dont.
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3 comments:
You apparently have some strong feelings about the article. I'm not sure what you mean by "common man." You refer to this "common man" multiple times, but I don't really agree with you on some of your points. Maybe we have different ideas about who the common man is.
On another note, be careful about disparaging people, especially when your post is full of errors. Calling someone stupid isn't really much of an argument, and it just makes people mad.
By the way, this post is late.
Other than what agreeing to what matt said I also believe you make one interesting point. The fact that most people want the easy way out. A lot of people, I won't say all, would rather be ignorant than to have to work hard, learn, and gain knowledge. But then again a lot of people thrive for knowledge and would give their lives rather than be ignorant. So I would say the world is probably filled with an equal mix.
However I would say the educational system can be changed. the world is constantly changing and with it the method with which people learn and can be taught. Technology has revolutionized how people are taught and I think it would be ignorant not to utilize it. Yes the educational system is not the root of the ignorance or laziness problem in society, but I am sure it plays a role in it as does the environment people grow up in. I would say if you remain comfortable with anything to long than something is being done wrong.
Wow! Reading something you wrote over four years ago is very interesting. I really was not the person I am now. I'm surprised how little I cared about these posts(assignments). I received a B in the course(English 106), so I must have done much better in class.
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